John Hulbert (executioner)

John W. Hulbert, Jr. (also John Hurlbert) (September 1867, Auburn, New York – February 22, 1929, Auburn, New York[1]) was the executioner for the states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts from 1913 to 1926.[2][3] Hulbert was trained as "state electrician" by his predecessor, Edwin F. Davis, and oversaw 140 executions during his tenure.[4]

According to his colleague, Sing Sing prison physician Amos Squire, Hulbert became significantly depressed about his job, but performed the duty for the good salary of $150 per execution.[5] Hulbert went to lengths to maintain his privacy, never allowed the press to obtain a photograph, and was described in newspapers as "the man who walks alone."[6] Following a nervous breakdown in 1926, Hulbert retired as executioner. He said, "I got tired of killing people."[2]

In 1929, Hulbert became further depressed over the death of his wife, Mattie, and, at the age of 59, committed suicide by going into the cellar of his home and shooting himself.[7] Hulbert was survived by two children, Martha, age 24, and John D., age 29. He was buried beside his wife in Soule Cemetery, Sennett, New York.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hulbert, Former Executioner, Is a Suicide; Man Who Put 140 to Death Shoots Himself". New York Times. February 22, 1929. p. 12.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gonnerman, Jennifer (January 18, 2005). "The Last Executioner". The Village Voice.
  3. ↑ Solotaroff, Ivan (November 2002). The Last Face You'll Ever See: The Culture of Death Row. Harper. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-0-06-093103-2.
  4. ↑ Banner, Stuart (March 2003). The Death Penalty: An American History. Harvard University Press. p. 195. ISBN 0-674-01083-3.
  5. ↑ Conover, Ted (June 2001). Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing. Vintage. p. 190. ISBN 0-375-72662-4.
  6. ↑ Gado, Mark (November 2007). Death row women: murder, justice, and the New York press. Praeger. pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-0-275-99361-0.
  7. ↑ Abbot, Jeffrey (April 2006). Execution: The Guillotine, the Pendulum, the Thousand Cuts, the Spanish Donkey, and 66 Other Ways of Putting Someone to Death. St. Martin's Press. p. 190. ISBN 0-312-35222-0.
  8. ↑ "John W Hulbert". Find A Grave Memorial# 102114926. findagrave.com. March 25, 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.